Relax!

My one year old nephew, Baby J, and family came over to my place to have a durian feast, an impromptu idea mooted by my Hubby who has been craving durians for some time now (hey, who says that only preggy ladies have cravings?).

J is an active little baby who cannot keep still for a minute. Babies with “ants in their pants”, as the English will say. In Hokkien, we call it “bui shi diam” (literally cannot sit still).

Baby J was playing with some stones at my beautiful wooden-decked balcony. My house is almost the same age as my nephew, actually, so the balcony is still in tip-top condition. Unfortunately, at the age of one year, Baby J loves to throw things. So he kept picking up the stones and throwing it on the wooden decked balcony.

I tried to stay calm and relaxed, but everytime the stones hit the wooden deck, I would mentally wince. Finally, I could not stand it any longer, and asked my Hubby to carry Baby J somewhere else to play.

I suppose as a mummy, one of the things that we have to learn is how to let go. With a small little toddler at home, it will be nearly impossible to keep things in tip top condition. Babies have a tendency to be a bit of a Destroyer. Torn magazines, chewed objects and strewn toys will be the norm in my house in future. Heck, I myself used to draw graffiti on my house walls, much to the wrath of my mother!

So, the next time your toddler spits on your sofa, or plays with your handbag, just have a deep breath, count to four, and minimize the damage as best as you can.

Hopefully, I can follow my own advice when my baby is born! =)